Last Sunday we launched “Twelpforce,” a new service that enlists the passion and knowledge of Best Buy’s vast employee base to bring assistance directly to customer computer screens via the micro blogging site, Twitter. Staffed by Best Buy employees from across all operations, including BlueShirts and Geek Squad, Twelpforce™ will answer product questions, troubleshoot technology challenges and solve customer service issues, all from the comfort of the users’ keyboard or mobile phone. Twelpforce has gotten a fair amount of awareness as evidenced by blog posts by both TechCrunch and Twitter themselves.
Twelpforce is obviously an experiment. A very public one. And with this publicity comes a certain amount of risk. In my view, it is a risk well worth taking for many reasons.
Clearly, Twelpforce has the potential to be a resource for our customers in helping them do the things they aspire to with technology. To the extent we are able to help, these efforts will build trust. Secondly, I think Twelpforce can be a catalyst to think very differently across our company about customer service. No longer do we need to passively wait in our channels for people to come to us. With Twelpforce specifically and social media in general we can actively seek out the conversations that increasingly are happening outside our channels. I also think this initiative can change our definition of customer service. No longer is customer service a department but something that all of us can do. And Twelpforce begins to really blur the lines between customer service and more traditional one way marketing communications. Finally, this idea raises the visibility and participation of social media amongst our Field teams. This is a very good thing as we think about how to connect better with our local communities. Few mediums can be as local and personal as social media.
With all of these positives, I also know we will make mistakes. Heck, I have made many mistakes in my own use of social media. But, I also know we will learn from them and be a smarter company about how to better serve customers going forward.
I want to personally thank the 1,000 strong and growing Best Buy Twelpforce members. Obviously this effort would not have gotten off the ground without you and it will only continue to be helpful because of you. In order to provide support for your efforts, I am very excited to preview below two new Twelpforce commercials, “Mary Mobile,” and “Annie” that will be airing over the next month or so. I have also included a third Twelpforce spot, “Johnny Laptop,” which is currently on air.
Appreciate your feedback on the Twelpforce program as well as the spots.
Mary – Rough Cut
Johnny – Final Cut
Annie
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[...] networks have caused a huge shift in how companies frame and execute their business. The success of Best Buy’s Twelpforce blurred the lines between marketing and customer service, using videos that feature the 1,000+ Best [...]
[...] networks have caused a huge shift in how companies frame and execute their business. The success of Best Buy’s Twelpforce blurred the lines between marketing and customer service, using videos that feature the 1,000+ Best [...]
[...] networks have caused a huge shift in how companies frame and execute their business. The success of Best Buy’s Twelpforce blurred the lines between marketing and customer service, using videos that feature the 1,000+ Best [...]
[...] networks have caused a huge shift in how companies frame and execute their business. The success of Best Buy’s Twelpforce blurred the lines between marketing and customer service, using videos that feature the 1,000+ Best [...]
Twitter Comment
Twelpforce – Blurring the lines between Customer Service and Marketing: [link to post] via @addthis
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Twitter Comment
@gemmawent see @twelpforce – an interesting social media case for you :
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@BestBuy launches Twelpforce: micro-blogging based customer service. Expect other companies to follow lead. [link to post] #bestbuy
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@BestBuy launches Twelpforce: micro-blogging based customer service. Expect other companies to follow suit. [link to post] #bestbuy
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Seems Best Buys “gets” Social Media’s real-time use …. Twelpforce
[...] spend time, maybe their own time, working to help the customer get their jobs done. Think of the Twelpforce initiative by Best Buy – give it a try, ask a question about something Best Buy should know the answer [...]
[...] and he emphasized this half-baked quality in his interviews with me. That includes things like posting TV ads on his blog, opening up the API's to bestbuy.com for other sites to use, and engaging the whole sales and [...]
[...] and he emphasized this half-baked quality in his interviews with me. That includes things like posting TV ads on his blog, opening up the API's to bestbuy.com for other sites to use, and engaging the whole sales and [...]
[...] previously used the Twelpforce initiative by Best Buy to make my point. Are there others? There must be, what are yours. How do you reward [...]
[...] previously used the Twelpforce initiative by Best Buy to make my point. Are there others? There must be, what are yours. How do you reward [...]